Detachable last.



P. J. GUTH. A DBTAGHABLE L'AsT.

PPPPP OATION FILED 00T. 6, 1913.

` "Patented Feb. 24, 1914 i mi f Il I.

' PHILIP J'. GUTH, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DETACHABLE LAST.

Specication of Letters latent.

Application led October 6, 1913. Serial No. 7593362.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PHILIP J. GUTH, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the' city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Detachable Lasts, of which the :following is a specification.

, My invention relates to detachable shoe lasts wherein thev heel or body portion is provided with a projection to which may be 'detachably secured any one of several different sized toe portions for the purpose of securing different widths and lengths of the same last, and the object of my linvention is to provide a body portion to which different widths and lengths may be detachably secured.

I accomplish this object by means of the device illustrated in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which- I Figure 1 is aplan view of the last in full lines, the dotted lines being used to indicate a longer toe portion' for the same last. Fig. 2 is a broken vertical section disclosing the manner in which the toe portion is secured to the heel or body portion. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the last disclosing the manner in which the projection or tongue isset into the body portion, the toe portion being shown in section for the purpose of disclos ing the manner in which the toe portion is locked to the tongue or projection. Fig. 4 is a broken detailed view of the latch which secures the-toe portion to the body portion of the last.

In using lasts in the manufacture ofshoes it has been found from experience that through usage the toe portion of a solid last wears out long before the heel or body. For this reason I propose to provide a last having a detachable toe so that when the toe portion is no longer useful a new piece may be secured to the last which in effect will be the same as repairing the toe portion, thus considerably extending the life. or usefulness of the said last.

Another object in providing a detachable toe portion is that the heel or body portion of a last willbe the same shape and size for three different sizes and widths of the toe portion. For instance, the heel or body portion of the last for a size 6, width E, will be the same size and shape as for a size 6%,

width D, or for a size 7, width C. In other words, the heel portion of a short, broad foot, size 6, width E, will bethe same as for a long narrow foot such as size 7, width C, and for a normally shaped foot between the ltwo, or a size 61;, width D. Consequently, as

the greatest variation in shape and size of lasts occurs in the toe portion, a lcss number of lasts would be required if the toe portions were made detachable and interchangeable.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate the heel or body portion of a shoe last having a recessed portion 2 in the bottom thereof, within which is rigidly secured the tapered tongue or projection 3 having a semi-circular notch 3 in one edge thereof, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more .fully described. A block 4 is inserted and permanently secured within the recess 2 after the tongue 3 is placed therein for the purpose of preservingY the shape of the last. A toe portion 5 is longitudinally recessed at 6, said recess being provided with a suitable metal lining 7 and the block 5 which is provided for the Patented Feb. e4, 1914.

purpose of retaining the metal lining 7 in position in the recess 6. A latch 8, having a slot 9 therein, is reciprocatingly mounted within the toe portion 5 `and transversely to the lining 7. A. suitable spring 10, held in position by the plug 12, normally maintains the latch 8 in such a position that the slot 9 therein will be above the tongue 3 as illustrated in Fig. 1 and the upperportion of the latch will be flush with thel upper surface of the last as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Bypushing the top of the latch S downward by any'V suitable means, the slot 9 therein will be brought into the saine plane with the recess 6. By inserting the tongue 3 of the heel portion 1 full length into the lining 7 within the recess 6 of the toe portion 5 and releasing the latch 8 the portion of the latch below the slot 9 will engage the' notch 3 of the tongue 3 and prevent the withdrawal of the said tongue from the toe portion or recess 6.

I have indicated a longer toe portion 14 in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The portion 14 maybe tted to the heel portion 1 in the manner hereinbefore described.

In order to remove the toe portion 5 from I with the notch 3 of the tongue 3 when the said tongue may be withdrawn from the' that ortion of the tongue within the recess for tiie purpose of preserving the shape of the last; a toe portion having a. metal lined longitudinal recess therein arranged to be engaged by the tapered portion of` the tongue; and a spring latch within the toe portion arranged to engage the semicircular notch within the tongue in the manner set forth and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I hereunto-set my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. PHILIP J. GUTH. Witnesses:

KARL F. SCHULZ, CHAs. F. DUisENBERG. 

